Utility cup holder for attachment to aluminum chairs or the like



Feb. 13, 1962 J. KRAMER 3,021,105 UTILITY CUP HOLDER FOR ATTACHMENT T0 ALUMINUM CHAIRS OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 2, 1960 22 F 1' G. 4:. INVENTOR.

JOSEPH KRAMER,

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fl 7' TORNE Y Unit d. S s ate O -C Y spams .Patented Feb. 13,1962

3,021,106 UTILITY CUP HOLDER FOR ATTACHMENT TO ALUMINUM CHAES OR THE LIKE Joseph Kramer, 6717 SW. 27th Court, West Hollywood, Fla. Filed Aug. 2, 1960, Ser. No. 47,045 1 Claim. (Cl. 248226) This invention relates to a receptacle support for detachable connection with the arms of conventional metallic furniture that is usually formed of either tubular or flat aluminum.

The invention contemplates bracket devices that have engagement with the tubular members forming the arms of chairs or the like and with the device also embodying means for detachably holding a wire cage frame into which a tumbler, bottle or the like may be disposed in an upright manner.

The invention comprises the combination of a U-shaped bracket that has clamping engagement with the arm of the furniture and with the bracket carrying a pivotally connected socket member that receives the yieldable portions of a wire cage-like frame whereby the frame may be detached from the device.

The invention also contemplate a modified form of bracket that is connected with the arm of the furniture by the use of a screw and a key-hole slot and with the bracket of the modified form also embodying a connector having opposed channels that receive the yieldable leg portions of a receptacle supporting frame.

Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be more clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has been illustrated the preferred forms of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the invention applied to a fragmentary section of one arm of a tubular chair,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the device,

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 4 is a of the invention.

Referring specifically to the drawings, there has been illustrated fragm-entarily a tubular arm member 5, conventional with respect to aluminum furniture. While the arm 5 has been illustrated as being cylindrical, it will be apparent that the device is applicable also to arms that are flat upon the upper surface. Adapted to have detachable clamping engagement with the arms 5, is a bracket device illustrated as a whole by the numeral 6. The bracket 6 is U-shaped, embodying an upper flat wall 7 that is transversely grooved at 7a, a lower parallel fiat wall 8 and a connecting vertical wall 9. The bracket is adapted to engage over the arm 5 at any point along the arm and is fixedly held in position by a thumb screw 10 that has threaded engagement through an aperture 11 formed in the wall section 8. The groove 70 is downwardly opening to constitute a seat for the cylindrical arm 5 so that the bracket device 6 will be effectively held in clamped engagement with the arm 5 against accidental displacement.

Pivotally connected to the wall section 9 intermediate its height is a flat plate 12. The plate 12 is pivotally supported against the plate 9 by a rivet 13, the heads of which have been countersunk into the plate 9 and the plate 12 respectively. The opposite vertical edges of the plate 12 have been bent upon themselves as shown perspective view of a modified form channels 15,

at 14, forming opposed channels 15. The plate 12 is pivotally supported in order to accommodate a receptacle frame in a vertical manner Where the arms 5 may possibly be inclined downwardly.

Adapted to have a snapping engagement into the are the leg portions 16 of an open frame 17. The frame 17 may be of any desirable configuration such for instance as octagonal or of course it may be round as may be found desirable. The frame 17 and the leg 16 are formed of flexible wire and preferably coated with a suitable plastic. The legs 16 are straight and parallel with each other in order to have a full seating engagement into the channels 15. The legs 16 are extended downwardly below the channels 15, where they are tied together by a metallic strap 18. The strap 18 is provided as a means to prevent the legs 16 from being bent outwardly away from each other to an extent that would destroy their flexibility. The strap 18 permits the legs 16 to be shifted together in order to permit the frame to be removed from the channels 15 and the plate 12. The legs 16 below the strap 18 are bent at a right angle to form vertical parallel legs 19, that are forwardly directed at their lower ends, to form a horizontal rest 20. The frame 17 and its associated legs 16, 19 and the rest 20 are adapted to be formed from a single section of relatively yieldable or flexible wire. The free ends of the wire constituting the forward portion 21 of the rest 20 may be united in any desirable manner at 22, such as welding, soldering or the like. The rest 20 is adapted to support the bottom of a tumbler 23, illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURE 2, While the body of the tumbler 23 is disposed within the upper open frame 17.

The entire mechanism may be formed of any desirable material such as aluminum, plastics or other materials having a high degree of resistance to rusting or corrosion.

In the use of this form of the invention, the operator merely engages the bracket 6 over the arm of the chair and then sets the screw 10 to hold it against rotative movement. The receptacle frame is then engaged with the channels 15 by forcing the legs 16 toward each other and then engaging the legs into the channels 15 and, since the device is flexible, the legs will spring outwardly into firm engagement into the channels 15, maintaining the frame 17 and the rest 20 in firm engagement with the bracket device 6 through the medium of the connector plate 12. Should the arm 5 be inclined, the operator merely rotates the entire receptacle frame, including the plate 12 to a point where the receptacle or other objects such as bottles may be disposed in a vertical plane. The device may be easily disassembled by merely forcing the legs 16 toward each other and moving them from their engagement with the channels 15 after which, the bracket may be released from the arm 5.

In FIGURE 4 there has been illustrated a slightly modified form of the invention, also adapted to be applied to the arm 5 of the furniture. In this form of the invention there has been provided an L-shaped bracket having a horizontal plate 22' and a vertical plate 23. The vertical edges of the plate 23' have been bent upon themselves to form vertical opposed channels 24. The channels 24 are also adapted to support the receptacle frame, embodying the legs 16 and the frames 17 similar to the first form of the device. The plate 22' is provided with a key-hole slot 25 and the screw 26, having a rounded head is threaded into an opening formed in the arm 5. The screw 26 will of course remain as a permanent part of the arm and adapted to receive the plate 22 as the occasion may require. This form of the invention is also usable on either arm of the furniture or may be used in multiple on one arm and the device is also formed of suitable maten'als having a high degree of resistance to rusting or corrosion.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very desirahle receptacle support has been provided for detachable connection to the usually tubular arm portions of metallic furniture. The device is quickly and easily engaged and forms a very desirable support for bottles, tumblers or other drinking receptacles. The device is cheap to manufacture, is strong, durable and most effective for the purposes indicated.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A receptacle support for detachable connection to the arms of chairs or the like that comprises a supporting bracket of U-shape that is adapted to have a connection with a tubular arm of the chair or the like, the bracket having a set screw whereby to support the bracket against vertical rotative movement upon the tubular arm of chairs or the like, the bracket having an outer wall section that is vertically disposed, a connector plate pivotally connected upon the wall, the opposite vertical edges of the plate being bent upon themselves to form vertical channels, the channels being spaced apart and in opposed relation, a receptacle supporting frame that comprises an open relatively large head portion and a horizontally disposed foot portion, the frame being formed of a continuous section of wire and with the head portion and the foot portion being connected by leg portions, the frame and the leg portions being yieldable toward and from each other whereby the leg portions may be engaged within the channels, the said connector plate and its supported receptacle frame being rockab-le to dispose a receptacle that is supported within the frame in a vertical manner when the arms of the chair are downwardly inclined, the said leg portions being tied together by a strap to limit the outward flexing of the legs beyond the engagement of the legs into the channels, the said strap permitting the inward flexing of the legs toward each other for disengaging the frame from the bracket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 997,456 MacGregor July 11, 1911 2,325,592 Degler Aug. 3, 1943 2,518,538 Giblin Aug. 15, 1950 2,7l 1,300 Nelson June 21, 1955 

